NEEDS project
Needs-based education and studies in societal security supported by the ERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union.
About
The Needs-based education and studies in societal security (NEEDS) project is addressing the skills gap and mismatch between the societal securityeducation and the knowledge needs in the field as well as the fact that there isa lack of structured transnational cooperation and dialogue between HigherEducation Institutes, practitioners, and experts in tackling these issues.
Strengthening societal security for the long run
By bridging these gaps, the educational experiences of the next generationtasked to work in the field of societal security will be enhanced and enrichedwith the most relevant, field-specific and up-to-date knowledge and skills andconsequently they will be better equipped to deal with future societal securitychallenges. Societal security is interdisciplinary, multi-level and transnationalin nature. In part, it can be understood by looking at the concept of resilienceand society’s ability to prepare, respond, recover, and learn from intentionaland unintentional events that disrupt the functioning of society.
Transnational approach to transnational challenges
The fact that crises do not respect state borders means that an important partof the future skills-set includes the ability to work internationally. This skills-set does not just appear. It is a skill that needs to be created by fosteringflexibility, cultural sensitivity, and cooperation across borders.
The countries in the Baltic Sea Region have several societal securitychallenges in common due to their geographical proximity and functionalinterdependencies. The fact that neighbouring countries often provide supportwhen a crisis strikes is yet another important motivation for improvingtransnational cooperation. Despite the fact that NEEDS primarily focuses onthe Baltic Sea Region, the results can also be relevant for other regions.
Partners
- Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Secretariat – lead partner
- Hamburg Fire and Rescue Service (Germany)
- Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
- Main School of Fire Service (Poland)
- Riga Technical University (Latvia)
- Swedish Defence University
- UiT The Artic University Norway
- Union of the Baltic Cities, Safe Cities Commission (represented by the Liepaja Municipal Police – Latvia).
Contact
Franziska Seufert, Project Coordinator: [email protected]